The CHOROID is the middle layer of the eyeball. It is the tissue layer in between the sclera and the retina. The choroid has
several layers of blood vessels of varying sizes. The choroid is heavily pigmented. This
prevents stray light from reaching the retina. The choroid, along with the iris and
ciliary body are also referred to as the UVEA. Inflammation in any of these structures is
called uveitis.
Uveitis is a common eye disease which has many potential causes. Historically, TB
(tuberculosis) was the most common cause of uveitis. It is now known that TB is only one
of hundreds of potential causes for this condition. Various systemic medical problems are
associated with uveitis. Some examples include: inflammatory bowel diseases, lupus,
arthritis and sarcoidosis.